Shock Of Life
by Basmathgirl
Summary: Just a little moment in Donna's life; quite a painful one, actually.


**Disclaimer:** I was definitely at the back of this queue…  
**A/N:** it was **Night69Raven** who made me consider this

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**Shock Of Life**

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Whispers broke through. Rampant whispers that teased and tortured, assaulting her ears and tickling her senses. Why was this happening? All this pain that bloomed through her body was almost beyond her endurance. Where was she? And where was the Doctor? If he had gone off and left her on her own again she'd kill him!

Childish giggles reached her at that point. Their amusement calmed her frazzled nerves and brightened her spirit. Who couldn't be uplifted by the sound of children laughing?

"Is it over yet?" one particular young voice asked.

"What do you think?!" another scornfully replied.

"Well, I don't know!" the first one bit back. "I wasn't allowed near her last time this happened."

At that, Donna forced her eyes open and saw two pairs of anxious eyes gazing at her over the edge of the bed she lay on. Eyes that belonged to a boy and a girl she now recognised. Both children shook their shaggy heads of dark ginger hair and cupped their mouths to hold in any words that might have stumbled out.

"I'm okay," Donna managed to say as she fought the rising panic inside her, and sought to calm their worried faces.

One of them instantly shot out a hand to grasp her fingers in comfort. "Sorry, Mum, but Dad said we could come in and peek at you before we went to bed." He then stroked her hand lovingly. "It won't be long now until it's all over and you can sleep properly."

"And then we can help do everything!" his sister declared, waving her hands about in emphasis, to encapsulate the whole room. "You just lie back and rest."

Donna felt the tears prick at her eyes, touched by their thoughtfulness and concern. "Thank you, my darlings. Where's your father?"

"Over there," her son answered, pointing to the side of her.

They all swivelled their gaze, and there in the large comfy chair slept the Doctor, curled up like a tabby cat.

"Do we need to wake him up yet, Mum?" the girl asked. Before Donna could answer, she started to call out, "Dad! Wakey up! Mum needs you!"

"What?!" the Doctor cried out as he snuffled awake. "Did I miss something?"

"No, Spaceman. For once your timing wasn't completely off," Donna remarked. "In fact, you are just in time for the final act."

The Doctor wiped a hand down his face, and scratched his unshaven chin. "I am? I am! Oh! Come on, out of it, you two." He stood up and started to shoo the two children away from the bed. "I don't think you should stick around for the next bit."

"Why, Dad?" the boy asked. "I want to see."

"Do you really want to see blood and gore as I assault your dad?" Donna wondered, causing the pair in front of her to giggle once more.

They both sighed in resignation, and made for the door. But as they got there, the girl ran back and kissed Donna on the cheek. "Good luck, Mum, and don't forget that I love you lots. Thank you for letting me name the new baby…," the girl threw at her as she rushed off.

Inevitably the boy reappeared to complain a few seconds later. "She isn't naming the baby, is she? That's unfair!"

"No, she isn't and yes, that would be unfair," the Doctor agreed, bodily pushing the boy back out of the room. "Go and watch something in the TV room, and I promise I'll call you both once the baby is here."

"Promise?" the boy tried to confirm; and then blew a kiss towards Donna. "Bye Mum! Love you!" He then disappeared back down the corridor outside, to join his sister.

The smile on the Doctor's face slid away when he saw Donna grimace. "How close?" he asked as he joined her by the bed.

"Enough to demand you give me some sort of bloody painkiller," she said through gritted teeth as a gut-ripping contraction rolled through her body and threatened to take away her conscious mind. A loud groan was released just before she admitted, "I need to push."

There was a flurry of activity as the Doctor prepared himself to assist the birth by giving her something to push against, and have any necessary equipment close to hand. Twenty minutes later he was holding his new born son in his hands and checking his vital signs.

"Did I do alright?" Donna asked him.

"You did wonderfully," the Doctor replied as his bottom lip trembled. "Are you ready for him?"

He helped Donna sit as comfortably as she could and hold her brand new son. "He looks just like you, poor thing," she commented, and held him out for inspection.

"He does not! He looks exactly like you," the Doctor contradicted.

"Then he is doubly doomed," she remarked. "My poor wee Doctor-Donna," she crooned to the baby in her arms. "Your brother, Gareth, and your sister, Megan, will be so chuffed to see you. Yes they will! And later on today you will get to see your big big brother, Andy, when he comes to rescue your Daddy from having to cook dinner, while your big big sister, Jenny, will no doubt quiz me to within an inch of my life about all the little things you do."

"She's only being curious, Donna," the Doctor fondly defended Jenny. "It's only natural that she would be."

"I know," Donna answered softly. "I wasn't complaining. I'm still finding it hard to believe we've got her back; that we've got both of them back with us after all this time." She then burst into tears, and wiped desperately at her eyes. "Hark at me going all sappy on you. I must look a right wimp."

"No; merely beautiful," he honestly and wisely answered. A box of tissues was handed over without any further comment

"Good comeback," she pointed out as she dabbed at her eyes. "Any chance of a cup of tea? I'm gasping."

"Do you want toast with that?" he instantly offered.

"I'll take whatever you offer me," she ambivalently replied.

After planting a satisfied kiss on her lips, he was on his way to continue doing just that.


End file.
